TORONTO — The controversy involving Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla spilled over into the Ontario legislature Wednesday as the Opposition demanded the labour minister resign for failing to investigate complaints from two domestic workers.

Dhalla, the MP for Toronto-area riding Brampton-Springdale, has become embroiled in a family labour dispute that involves allegations made by two live-in caregivers hired to look after Dhalla's mother.

Dhalla, who has denied the allegations, gave up her post as Liberal multiculturalism critic Wednesday to fight to clear her name. She says she wasn't involved in hiring or supervising the caregivers and has no knowledge of details regarding them.

The women say they were illegally employed and that Dhalla seized their passports.

They told their stories to Labour Minister Peter Fonseca and Education Minister Kathleen Wynne during a roundtable discussion last month, and were advised to call in their complaint to a toll-free government hotline.

Ontario Progressive Conservative critic Lisa MacLeod demanded Fonseca's resignation, saying the Liberal failed as a minister when he didn't follow up on the allegations against Dhalla.

"While you have personally trumpeted two bills in this chamber that would protect nannies and temporary workers, it would appear you've been silent for two weeks after you were made aware of these reported abuses," MacLeod said in the legislature.

"What kind of minister sits by when workers are accusing his own friend of breaking the very labour laws he's brought forward?"

Magdalene Gordo, 31, and Richelyn Tongson, 37, say they were hired in early 2008 to work in Dhalla's family home in Mississauga, Ont., to care for her mother, Tavinder Dhalla.

The women claim that other family members forced them to do extra work ranging from washing cars to shining shoes and cleaning chiropractic clinics owned by the Dhalla family.

Moreover, the workers say they were illegally hired without the necessary approval under the federal Live-In Caregiver Program.

Ontario's New Democrats stopped short of calling for Fonseca's resignation, but said it was his legal responsibility to act on the complaints that he had heard against Dhalla.

"The question is: Will you stand up for the Liberal Party or will you stand up for workers in Ontario?" asked New Democrat Cheri DiNovo.

"Will you penalize Ruby Dhalla? Will you put Ruby Dhalla in jail?"

Fonseca wouldn't speak directly to the issue, but said he heard many stories from caregivers in roundtable discussions that he initiated. He blamed the federal government for shortcomings in a program that brings in foreign workers as live-in caregivers.

"I picked up the phone many weeks ago and I spoke to (federal Immigration) Minister Jason Kenney because this is a federal live-in caregiver program," said Fonseca. "Unfortunately, Minister Kenney has not moved forward to fix this program."

Premier Dalton McGuinty defended Fonseca, saying the labour minister was only "trying to do the right thing" after hearing similar complaints from about 30 women who work as live-in caregivers.

"He does not pick and choose among those stories," the premier said. "He provides them with information about the best way to pursue these kinds of things."

McGuinty admitted there was a "perception" problem because Fonseca and Wynne appeared not to act on the complaints made directly to them, and said investigators from the labour ministry would attend future roundtables.

"I think the best thing to do on a go forward basis is to bring somebody from the ministry with them so that if there's a concern, women can have that addressed immediately," McGuinty said.

This whole issue is starting to allegedly sound like a big cover up, not just by Ruby, but by the whole Liberal establishment in Ontario. I think heads will roll in Dhalla gate.

Wynne and Fonesca should be sacked, but it's highly unlikely that Dalton will do it. It is particularly galling that Wynne has been preaching about what school officials MUST do / report, and yet when she is faced with something that is clearly wrong (if true) she does nothing?

They told their stories to Labour Minister Peter Fonseca and Education Minister Kathleen Wynne during a roundtable discussion last month, and were advised to call in their complaint to a toll-free government hotline.

This is the correct way of handling things like this. You don't call the Commissioner of the RCMP when someone breaks into your house, and if you did, he'd rightly tell you to call 911. Now, if it comes to pass that the nannies *did* call the hotline, and Fonseca interfered in the investigation, there's a case to be made for a cover-up. Demanding his resignation might make for good press, but it's a bit presumptive IMO.

I heard in the media that the hotline number Fonseca gave the nannies wasn't even yet in service at the time.

Had the allegations been made against a Conservative MP, how long do you think it would have taken Fonseca and Wynne to report it to the proper provincial and federal authorities? Heck, they probably would have taken the nannies home with them as a measure of protection from the nasty Conservative. :lol:

Robert Fife said on Power Play that the media would not let this matter rest until it is resolved one way or another. That's encouraging. One very big question is why did Fonseca and Wynne let this matter slide following the public forum where the allegations surfaced. There are only two possible answers. Either they are incompetent or they were covering for another Liberal. Which is it.

They told their stories to Labour Minister Peter Fonseca and Education Minister Kathleen Wynne during a roundtable discussion last month, and were advised to call in their complaint to a toll-free government hotline.

This is the correct way of handling things like this. You don't call the Commissioner of the RCMP when someone breaks into your house, and if you did, he'd rightly tell you to call 911. Now, if it comes to pass that the nannies *did* call the hotline, and Fonseca interfered in the investigation, there's a case to be made for a cover-up. Demanding his resignation might make for good press, but it's a bit presumptive IMO.

The problem is that the nanny hotline wasn't in operation at the time of the public forum. It didn't open up until 8.30 a.m. April 27th, which was the week AFTER the public forum, and this was an expedited / rushed date. Apparently it wasn't going to be operational until later in the year when Fonesca introduced his "tough new legislation". If these MPPs genuinely cared about these nannies they would have done more than use them for a photo op.

Robert Fife said on Power Play that the media would not let this matter rest until it is resolved one way or another. That's encouraging. One very big question is why did Fonseca and Wynne let this matter slide following the public forum where the allegations surfaced. There are only two possible answers. Either they are incompetent or they were covering for another Liberal. Which is it.

This story will unfortunately be forgotten by this coming Tuesday. The media circus comes to town when Mulroney starts to testify at the Oliphant Commission.

OLiphant, is that the french spelling for elephant?
LOL, I for one am tired of the Mulroney/Schreiber debacle, send one back to Germany to face his music and give Brian a kick in the a$$, he truly deserves one.
The Dhalla deal is relatively new and I for one want to hear her spin on this thing.

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